Rotary store structure



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T. A. TAYLOR ROTARY STORE STRUCTURE Filed Feb; 27. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVEN TOR ATTORNEYS.

Dec. 20, 1927.

T. A. TAYLOR ROTARY STORE STRUCTURE 2 She QtQs-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 27. 1926 flz mcmfi ATTORNE S,

Patented Dec. 20,1921.

UNITED STATES {THOMAS A. 'revnon, or BONHAM, TEXAS.

RO'lhilEtY STORE STRUCTURE.

Application filed February 27, 1926. Serial No. 91,108;

This invention relates to pensing devices. t

In self service stores such as the well known Piggly-lviggly trouble has been experienced and loss Sustained by reason of dishonest customers stealing goods from the shelves, it being impossible to effectively watch all customersexcept at a prohibitive expense for salaries of clerks to be-stationed at each set of shelves. In fact, to properly watch all. customers would require practi cally as many clerks asiwould be needed in a store of the kind in which the customers are served by clerks and thus one of the important objects of self service. stores, decrease of salary or pay roll expense, would be negatived.

The principal objects of the present inven tion are to provide an improved store arrangement and apparatus therefor whereby the customers may be all easily kept under observation; to provide for theelimination of a customer desirin some particular artiole having to traverse a long series of aisles after entering the store before they can leave; and to eliminate the necessity of a customer carrying a heavy parcel from place to place in making a number of purchases.

With the above and other objects in View as will be hereinafter apparent, the invention consists in general of certain novel details of construction and. combinations of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and specifically claimed.

store sales or dis- In the accompanying drawings like char Figure 2 is an elevation of the dispensing device and its driving mechanism, the view being partly in section to show the construction.

Figure 3 is a detail sectional view of a foot step bearing for the dispensing device.

Figure 1 is a diagram plan of a typical store arrangement wherein several dispensing devices are used.

In the embodiment of the invention here illustrated there is shown a store room having walls or partitions 11. Of course this room is provided with the usual floor 12 and ceiling 1 3. Arranged in such store room is one or more dispensing units indicated in general at 14. Each of these units has a vertical central supporting shaft 15 having 1ts upper end ournalled in a bearing 16 supported on a beam 17 secured to the ceiling, the lower end of the shaftbeing journalled in an anti-friction foot step or thrust bearingl8. [it the lower end of the shaft is a series of radially disposed stirrups 19 which support the inner ends of beams 20.

Similarly, at a suitable, distanceabove the beams 20 are rafters 21 which are supported by braces 22. Between the rafters is 'arranged a-polygonal drum 23 having a-bottom 24 resting on the beams and a top 25 resting on the rafters This top is in the form of a large grooved wheel and around this wheel or top passes a cable 26 forming a belt which also passes around a small grooved wheel 27 fixed on a jack shaft- 28 having its upper end journalled in a bearing 29 at the ceiling whilev adjacent the wheel 27 the shaft passes through and is journalled in a beam 30 extending from end to end of the store room. Adjacent the upper end of the jack shaft there is fixed a belt pulley 31 which is connected by a belt 32 with the driving pulley of a motor 33 suitably supported on a bracket 34. By this means the drum is slowly rotated as long as the motor 1s running.

Projecting from the drum are vertically extending partitions 35 between which are arranged shelves 36 on which the goods to be sold are placed.

Of course these drums may be of any suitable size and number and a typical store arrangement for several such drums is shown in- Figure 4:. In this figure it will be seen that several dispensing units are employed, these being arranged in lineand having partitions 37 between adjacent units and between the unit-s and the walls at the front and back of the store. The store entrance and exit 38 is here shown at the left of the front and extending rearwardly from a point adjacent this entrance and exit is an interrupted railing 39 dividing the space to the left of the units into a sales room and an exit passage, the space to the right of the units being suitable for storage. In the sales space may be arranged one or more cashiers and observers desks 40 as well as a managers desk L1 and one ormore sales stands d2 for articles in bulk requiring weighing or measuring. Also, where meats are sold, there may be a butchers department at the rear of the store provided in i the usual manner with a showcase 43, block 44 and refri erator 45. The routes for customers are siown by arrrows and it is obvious that in serving ones self it is merely necessary to step in front of a dispensing unit and remove the goods from the shelves as they pass around. Of course, where more than one unit is employed each may be de voted to a particular line or lines of goods. For instance, in a grocery, one unit may be for canned goods, another for sauces, flavors and other bottled goods, another for soaps, washing powders and other laundry supplies and so on.

It is to be clearly understood that the invention is not confined to the exact arrangement of store shown in Figure 4 since it is obvious that such arrangen'xent will vary in details in accordance with the size and shape of the store, the character of the business and its volume, and many other factors controlling such details. Accordingly the arrangement here shown is merely to be understood as a general type of the arrangement for all stores.

There has thus been provided a simple and eflicient device of the kind described and for the purpose specified. I

It is obvious that minor changes may be made in the form and construction of the invention Without departing from the material spirit thereof. It is not, therefore, desired to confine the invention to the exact form herein shown and described, but it is desired to include all such as properly come within the scope claimed. 7

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed asnew, is:

1. In a rotatable dispensing device of the type decribed, a vertical rotatable shaft, end bearings therefor, a dispensing drum carried by said shaft, a circular top wall for the drum of a diameter slightly less than the diameter of the drum forming a belt pulley, a rotatable jack shaft disposed above the drum adjacent its peripheral edge, outwardly of the belt pulley and mounted in ceiling supported bearings, a relatively small pulley on the lower end of the jack shaft alined with the aforesaid belt pulley, a belt inclosing the pulleys and a motor for operating the jack shaft having belt connection with the jack shaft adjacent its upper end.

2. In a rotatable dispensing device of the type described, a vertical rotatable shaft, end bearings therefor, a dispensing drum carried by said shaft, a circular top wall for the drum of a diameter slightly less than the diameter of the drum, said top Wall being annularly grooved to form a pulley and driving means for the drum including a pulley alined with the top wall of the drum and disposed within the marginal edge of the drum, and a belt connection between the pulley and the top wall pulley.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

THOMAS A. TAYLOR. 

